Ignition device



Aug. 15, L. BEEH ET AL I IGNITION DEVICE Filed March 22, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 1 w fi tjfzlfVENTOR I a 11 e u/arzmann X BY d Louis Bye/zQVJQAQ ATTORNEY L. BEEH ET AL Aug. 15, 1933.

IGNITION DEVICE Filed March 22, 1932 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTORhurarzmann m's geek ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1

IGNITION DEVICE Louis Beck and Wolfgang E. Sehwarzmann,

liongmeadow, Mass, assignors to United Amerloan Bosch Corporation,Springfield, Mass, 'a Corporation of New York Application 'March 22,

11 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in ignition devices andparticularly to a dualtimerdistributor unit for internal combustionengines.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact ignition device ofthis type for aeroplane engines, with a view to saving space andpermitting the addition of auxiliary apparatus needed in the operationof such engines.

It is now the practice to equip aeroplane engines in many instances withtwo magnetos which have independent drive shafts; and which may belocated on the same side or on different sides of the engine. Thisarrangement of course requires a great deal of room and the dispositionof accessories, such as a generator for starting purposes and to furnishcurrent for lighting the aeroplane, is often a difiicult problem. Ourinvention aims to remedy this state of affairs; for our improved dualtimer-distributor unit is adapted to displace both magnetos; occupyingthe position of one of them and making the space otherwise needed by theother available for the location of a different unit, such as agenerator for lighting and starting, or some other necessary piece ofapparatus. With our timer-distributor unit mounted on such an engine,ignition is produced by means of a coil or coils and current drawn fromthe battery by which the starting of the engine is effected in the firstplace.

Another object of our invention is to provide a timer-distributor unitthat can be driven in the same manner as a magneto; has preferably thesame approximate shape; and While the size thereof is restricted withinproper limits, is yet large enough to assure efiicient and certainoperation at all altitudes and all other conditions of running.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dualtimer-distributor unit having separate distributors which areindependently enclosed and timing devices mounted in a singlecompartment to cooperate separately therewith.

With these and other objects and advantages, the invention consists inthe novel features specified in the appended claims: and by way ofexample, a construction according to the invention is describedhereinafter wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a timer distributor unit according to ourinvention; V

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 is an end view showins pa t Of the 1932. Serial No. 6%,446

(Cl. 123--i48) double timer mounted in the common casing for same, thecover for said casing being re moved. 7

The same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

The device comprises a body 1 in the form of a housing for the. drivinggear; and this housing is of suitable shape and preferably formed in onepiece, as by casting. At one end on the lower part of the housing ismounted the casing 2 for the timers and the other end has the form of anoppositely extending projection 3 in alinement with the housing 2. Thedistributors are mounted on the upper part of the housing 1 at each end,one above the casing 2 and the other above the projection 3; and theopening 8 with an inside shoulder to provide a seat for an antifrictionbearing 9 which receives one end of a drive shaft 10. The other end ofthis shaft is mounted in a similar bearing 11 in the opposite end of thehousing and this end of the shaft projects through an opening in saidopposite end and enters the casing 2.

Adjacent the end carrying the casing 2, the housing 1 has a verticalextension 12 on the opposite faces of which the casing of the distributors 4 and the radio shields 5 are supported. This extension bulgesalong one side as indicated at 13, and in the upper part thereof ismounted in suitable antifriction bearings a shaft 14 by which the rotorsof the two distributors are actuated. This shaft is parallel with theshaft 10, which carries fast thereon in line with the extension 12 asuitable gear 15. This gear meshes with a similar gear 16 at the lowerend of a vertical shaft 17, turning iii-suitable antifriction bearing atthe top and bottom of the housing and carrying another rigidly attachedgear 18 which meshes with a gear 19 on the shaft 14. As shown in Fig. 3,shafts 10 and 14; are mounted towards one side of the housing 1 Whilethe shaft 17 is more towards the opposite side and gears 15 and 18thereon are received in the bulging portion 13 of the extension 12. Theunit is therefore of moderate height and no great-Width so that it canbe mounted easily on one of the magneto supports of the engine; I

and the shaft 10 is connected .to the drive shaft for said magneto to bereadily o erated. The timing devices in the casing 2 are at one end ofthe shaft 10 and this shaft, as shown, proaltitudes, where a substantialspace between ad jacent distributor terminals must be available.

The top of the extension 12 is open, as shown at 20, and this openingmay be closed by a plate 21 to be secured in place in any suitable way.Anti-friction bearings for the opposite ends of the shaft 17 are shownat 22 and 23. The extension 12 has its walls thickened at the top infront and back and these walls are recessed to provide seats for thebearing 14. The ends of the shaft of course project to the outside ofthe extension 12 and on each end is fixed the rotor 24 of thedistributor which is of insulation and carries a brush 25 which passesover terminals 26. These terminals are mounted at suitably spaced pointsin the casing 27 of each distributor; and each of these casings alsomounts in the usual manner in fixed position at the center or some othersuitable point a brush 23 which engages the rotating brush 25 in linewith the axis of the shaft 14. The casing 27 of the distributors arecup-shaped and provided with anopen end having an exterior shoulder 2)which is held against a suitable seat 30 on outside of the two faces ofthe extension 12. This seat 30 is in the form. of a rim or flange whichreceives the shouldered rim of the dis tributor casing within it, asshown at 31, the corner of this rim 30 engaging the shoulder 29.

The radio shields 5 are likewise cup-shaped, enveloping the casings forthe distributors and open on one side and provided with a rim thereat asindicated at32 to fit likewise against the seats 30 around the outerportions of the latter. Screws 33 may be employed to hold the radioshields in place. These shields smother radiation which otherwise mightoccur whenever a high tension discharge takes place at the igniters ofthe engine. The distributor casings 4 are held in place against theseats 30 by any suitable means not shown herein. Sometimes the shields 5will be omitted.

' Each radio shield 5 may be made in two sections shown at 34: and 35provided with apertured lugs 36 to receive screws similar to screws 33to hold these sections together. The outer section can be removed at anytime to inspect the distributor under the shield. At 37 are bindingposts projecting from adjacent sides of hollow outlet necks 38 at thetop of these shields, these binding posts receiving the end of a conductor connected to a high tension coil or coils; each of the bindingposts 37 being connected to one of the brushes 28 as by a suitableconductor leading from the inner end of these binding posts to aconnection for the brush 28 on the outside of the distributor casings 4.The high tension or secondary terminals 26 carried by each distributorcasing 4 are of course shown only diagrammatically. They will beconnected to binding posts, not shown, on the outside of the distributorcasing 4, and from these binding posts will lead the high tension cablesto the spark-plugs; these cables passing out through the necks 38.

The casing 2 will contain two timers; and at justecl position by boltsengaging any suitable fixed part, to time each spark as required. On theend of the shaft 10 in the casing 2 isa cam ll. On the bottom of thecasing are metal plates 42 bearing fixed contacts l3 to be engaged anddisengaged by contacts 44 on interrupter levers 45 pivoted on studs 46.The plates 42 may be in metallic connection with the bottom of thecasing and with the housing 1 and the levers 45 may be insulated fromthese plates 42 in any suitable manner as by mounting them on fiberblocks {17 which fit the studs 46. These levers may consist of bentstrips of metal bearing contacts 4.4 at one end and having the oppositeend turned over at 48 to stiffen it and enable it to be engaged by thecam when the lever is to be moved to separate the contacts 43 and 44.Each lever is connected by a bent spring strip 49 to an upturned edge 50of a plate 51 secured to the bottom of the casing 2 and preferablyinsulated therefrom. These spring strips normally actuate the levers 45to hold the two or acts l3 and 4% in engagement. At 52 are conde :ers inthe casing 2 mounted on plates 53. The plates 51 and 53 may be allsecured to the bottom 01' the casing by screws es, the plates 42 and 53being grounded on the casing and the plates 51 insulated. Theselatterare connected to the condensers by con ductors 55; and 56 areradio-shielded binding posts which inbe connected to the insulatedplates 51'and to the terminals of the primary coil, or coils whereseparate coils are used.

The bottom of the casing has an opening which is shown at 57 to receivea boss 58 on the housing 1 and around this boss may be a packing ring59. The casing can be adjusted on the boss 58 if desired, and held inposition by any suitable fastening means.

Each timer device comprising a fixed contact 4.3, a movable contact 44and one of the breaker levers 45 is of course associated with one of thedistributors .and works therewith to make and break the circuit of aprimary coil, the secondary of which is connected to one of the bindingposts 37 and rotary contacts 25. Every time the cam moves one of theinterrupter levers to separate the contacts 43 and 44, one of the rotorcontacts 25 will be adjacent one of the secondary terminals 28 andsparks will be produced at the igniter to which the latter is connected.

With units of this type, only one is needed for ignition on engines veretoiore carrying two ignition magnetos. The dual timer-distributorcontrols ignition in all of the cylinders of the engine 7 and the othermagneto gives way to a generator for lighting and starting. Theshielding of the ignition so as to prevent radiation due to the hightension current and interference with signalling is very easilyaccomplished. The starting is readily effected because the timers willwork at all speeds; and not only are the magnetos unnecessary but alsoone can dispense with the impulse couplings necessary when magnetos areused for starting purposes. The cost of one of these units is of courseconsiderably less than the price which'two magnetos will entail.

As shown in Fig. 4, the timer casing 2 is provided with arms 39w havingslots 40c, so that the timer can be held in 'timed position withreferenceto the housing 1 by means of threaded studs, not shown, fixedto theiadjacent end of the housing 1 and passing throughsiots iOa, toreceive nuts by which the arms 39a can be made fast. This constructionallows the adjustment of the timer casing independent of the housing 1.Of course, any other suitable means for turning the casing 2 on thehousing 1 may be employed. Hence the entire housingcan be adjusted byreason of the arms 39 and slots 40 above described; and the casing 2 canbe adjusted separably if desired. If necessary, the arms 39a may beomitted from the casing 2 so that this casing need not be independentlyadjusted, or if the casing 2 must be mounted so as to be separablyadjusted, any other type of arms in the place of arms 390i may beemployed.

Of course we may make various changes in details and we, are by no meanslimited to the exact construction hereinabove set forth.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure and protect by Letters Patent in the United States is:

l. A dual ignition unit comprising a housing, a pair of distributorsmounted on said housing, the parts of said distributors being separatelyenclosed, timing devices for said distributors and a casing for saidtiming devices on the exterior of the housing adjacent one of saiddistributors and facing in the same direction as said distributor.

2. A. dual ignition unit comprising a housing, a pair of distributorsmounted adjacent the top of the housing and at either end of same,timing devices for said distributors and a casing for said timingdevices mounted on the housing at one end adjacent the lower partthereof, said casing facing in the same direction as one of saiddistributors.

3. A dual ignition device comprising a housing, an operating shaft inthe lower part of said housing and extending through opposite endsthereof, a timer on the exterior of the housing adjacent one projectingend of said shaft, a distributor shaft in the upper part of the housingsubstantially parallel to the operating shaft, gearing between theoperating shaft and the distributor shaft to enable the former tooperate the latter.

4. A dual ignition unit comprising a housing with a projection at thelower part adjacent one end, a vertical extension adjacent the oppositeend forming the upper part, a drive shaft in the lower part, adistributor shaft in the upper part, a connecting shaft in saidextension and gearing for enabling the drive shaft to rotate thedistributor shaft through the connecting shaft.

.3. A dual ignition unit comprising a housing having a horizontalprojection at the lower part forming one end, a vertical extension atthe opposite end forming the upper part of the housing, a timer casingsupported on the opposite end, a drive shaft in said projection andextending into the timer casing, a distributor shaft near the top of theextension, distributors adjacent both ends of the distributor shaftmounted on the outside of said extension, a connecting shaft in saidextension and gearing for enabling the drive shaft to operate thedistributor shaft through said connecting shaft,

6. A dual ignition unit comprising a housing, a pair of distributors-onthe upper part of the housing adjacent the opposite ends thereof, atimer casing supported on-the'1ower part of the housing atone endthereof beneath'oneof the distributors, and facing in the same directionas said distributor, a shaft in the lower part ofsaid housingandextending into the' cas-ging'to'operate the timersfa shaft in theupper shaft in casing disposed in said projection and protruding at bothends of the housing, a

timer casing at the other end of the housing into which the shaftextends, the housing having a vertical extension adjacent the endsupporting the timer casing to form the upper part of the housing, adistributor shaft in said extension parallel to the first-named shaft,distributor casings secured to the opposite outer faces of the extensionabove said projection and said timer casing, a shaft in the extensionand gearing to connect said shaft to the distributor shaft and thefirst-named shaft, and metallic radio shields secured to the oppositefaces of the extension over said distributor casings, said shieldshaving binding posts to enable the distributors to be connected to ahigh tension coil and having hollow necks through which cables may passfrom the distributor terminals to the igniters.

8. A dual ignition unit comprising a housing having a horizontalprojection at one end, a shaft in said casing disposed in saidprojection and protruding at both ends of the housing, a timer casing atthe other end of the housing into which the shaft extends, the housinghaving a vertical extension adjacent the end supporting the timer casingto form theupper part of the housing, a distributor shaft in saidextension parallel to the first-named shaft, distributor casings securedto the opposite outer faces of the extension above said projection andsaid timer casing, a shaft in the extension, gear ing to connect saidshaft to the distributor shaft and first-named shaft, and metallic radioshields secured to the opposite faces of the extension over saiddistributor casings, said shields having binding posts to enable thedistributors to be connected to a high tenion coil and having hollownecks through which cables may pass from the distributor terminals tothe igniters, said shields being in sections one of which can be removedto permit inspection of the distributors.

9. A dual ignition device comprising a housing, anoperating shaft in thelower part of said housing and extending through opposite ends thereof,a timer on the exterior of the housing adjacent one projecting end ofsaid shaft, a distributor shaft in the upper part of the housingsubstantially parallel to the operating shaft, and a substantiallyupright shaft and gearing between the operating shaft and thedistributor shaft to enable the former to operate the latter.

10. A dual ignition unit comprising a housing with a projection at thelower part adjacent one end, a vertical extension adjacent the oppositeend forming the upper part, a drive shaft in the lower part, adistributor shaft in the upper part, a substantially upright connectingshaft in said extension and gearing for enabling the drive-shaft torotate the distributor shaft through the connecting shaft.

11. A dual ignition unit comprising a hous-- ing having ahorizontal'projection at the lower part forming one end, a verticalextension at the opposite end forming the upper part of the housing, atimer casing supported on the opposite end, a drive shaft in saidprojection and extending into the timer casing, a distributor

